美国早期的基督教根基：教育、牧师、大学与公共生活

今天常有人把基督教理解成只属于个人和教堂的信仰。

Today, some people understand Christianity as a faith that belongs only to private life and the church.

但是，如果我们回到美国殖民时期和建国时期的历史，会看到一幅很不一样的图画。

But if we go back to the colonial and founding eras of America, we see a very different picture.

在美国早期历史中，基督教不仅影响个人信仰，也深深进入教育、学校、大学、法律和公共生活。

In early American history, Christianity influenced not only personal faith, but also education, schools, colleges, law, and public life.

这正是《The American Story: The Beginnings》反复强调的一条历史主线。

This is one of the main historical themes emphasized again and again in *The American Story: The Beginnings*.

一、早期普及教育的重要目的之一，是让人能够阅读圣经

1. One Important Purpose of Early Education Was to Help People Read the Bible

在新英格兰殖民地，教育与读圣经有非常密切的关系。

In the New England colonies, education was closely connected with Bible reading.

1647年，马萨诸塞通过了一项著名的教育法。

In 1647, Massachusetts passed a famous education law.

这项法律后来常被称为“Old Deluder Satan Act”。

This law later became known as the “Old Deluder Satan Act.”

法律所表达的思想非常直接：撒但会利用人的无知，使人不能正确认识圣经。

The idea behind the law was very direct: Satan could use ignorance to keep people from rightly understanding the Scriptures.

所以，儿童需要学习阅读。

Therefore, children needed to learn to read.

城镇需要聘请教师。

Towns needed to hire teachers.

达到一定规模的城镇还需要设立学校。

Towns of a certain size also needed to establish schools.

这说明，在新英格兰早期推动识字和学校教育的一个重要目的，就是帮助普通人自己阅读上帝的话语。

This shows that one important purpose of early literacy and schooling in New England was to help ordinary people read the Word of God for themselves.

这不是后来附加上去的解释，而是当时教育制度本身的一部分。

This was not an idea added much later; it was part of the educational thinking of that time.

二、早期教材把识字与基督教信仰放在一起

2. Early Textbooks Joined Literacy and Christian Faith Together

美国早期著名的启蒙教材《The New England Primer》，就是很好的例子。

The famous early American textbook *The New England Primer* is a good example.

它不仅教儿童字母和阅读，也包括圣经内容、祷告、要理问答和基督教道德教育。

It taught not only letters and reading, but also Bible content, prayers, catechism, and Christian moral teaching.

对于当时许多家庭来说，学习阅读和学习圣经不是两件完全分开的事情。

For many families at that time, learning to read and learning the Bible were not completely separate things.

人学习文字，是为了能够阅读。

People learned letters so they could read.

而阅读最重要的内容之一，就是圣经。

And one of the most important things to read was the Bible.

所以，美国早期教育史不能简单地从基督教历史中切开。

So early American educational history cannot simply be separated from the history of Christianity.

三、Harvard建立的重要目的，是培养有学问的牧师

3. An Important Purpose of Harvard Was to Prepare Learned Ministers

Harvard成立于1636年。

Harvard was founded in 1636.

Harvard今天自己的历史资料仍保存了创办者当年的解释。

Harvard’s own historical materials still preserve the founders’ explanation.

他们担心现有牧师去世以后，教会会留下没有受过良好教育的牧者。

They feared that after the present ministers died, the churches would be left with poorly educated ministers.

所以，他们希望“advance learning”，并且延续一个“learned ministry”。

So they wanted to “advance learning” and continue a “learned ministry.”

换句话说，培养受过高等教育的牧师，是Harvard早期的重要目标。

In other words, preparing well-educated ministers was an important early goal of Harvard.

这与今天很多人对Harvard的印象完全不同。

This is very different from the way many people think about Harvard today.

四、美国早期许多大学校长本身就是牧师

4. Many Early College Presidents Were Ministers

Harvard早期多位校长本身就是牧师。

Many early Harvard presidents were themselves ministers.

第一任校长Henry Dunster的职业背景包括clergyman。

The first president, Henry Dunster, had a professional background as a clergyman.

Charles Chauncy是一位牧师。

Charles Chauncy was a minister.

Urian Oakes是一位牧师。

Urian Oakes was a minister.

Increase Mather既是Harvard校长，也是著名牧师。

Increase Mather was both a Harvard president and a well-known minister.

Benjamin Wadsworth是牧师。

Benjamin Wadsworth was a minister.

Edward Holyoke也是牧师。

Edward Holyoke was also a minister.

Samuel Locke同样是牧师。

Samuel Locke was also a minister.

所以，在美国早期高等教育中，“牧师担任大学校长”并不是少数例外。

So in early American higher education, ministers serving as college presidents were not rare exceptions.

这曾经是一种非常常见的现象。

It was once a very common pattern.

五、Princeton最初也把培养牧师作为重要目标

5. Princeton Also Had the Training of Ministers as an Important Early Goal

Princeton最初名为College of New Jersey。

Princeton was originally called the College of New Jersey.

Princeton自己的历史资料说明，创办者最初希望建立一所宗教学校，培养未来的牧师。

Princeton’s own historical materials say that its founders originally intended to establish a religious school to train future ministers.

学校早期许多校长和教师，本身就是长老会牧师。

Many of its early presidents and faculty members were Presbyterian ministers.

其中最著名的人物之一，就是John Witherspoon。

One of the most famous was John Witherspoon.

他是一位长老会牧师。

He was a Presbyterian minister.

他也是Princeton校长。

He was also president of Princeton.

后来，他进入大陆会议。

Later, he served in the Continental Congress.

他还成为《独立宣言》的签署者之一。

He also became one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

这个人的一生本身就说明，当时的牧师、教育和公共政治并不是彼此完全隔离的三个世界。

His life itself shows that ministry, education, and public politics were not three completely separate worlds at that time.

六、有牧师直接参与建立殖民地

6. Ministers Helped Found Colonies

美国早期历史中，还有一些重要殖民地与牧师直接有关。

Some important early American colonies were directly connected with ministers.

Roger Williams是一位牧师。

Roger Williams was a minister.

他建立Providence，并成为Rhode Island历史上的重要创建者。

He founded Providence and became an important founder in the history of Rhode Island.

Thomas Hooker也是一位清教徒牧师。

Thomas Hooker was also a Puritan minister.

他带领一批人进入Connecticut River Valley，并成为Connecticut早期历史的重要奠基人物之一。

He led a group into the Connecticut River Valley and became one of the important founders of early Connecticut.

John Davenport也是清教徒牧师。

John Davenport was also a Puritan minister.

他与Theophilus Eaton一起建立New Haven Colony。

Together with Theophilus Eaton, he helped establish the New Haven Colony.

New Haven后来并入Connecticut。

New Haven later became part of Connecticut.

所以，牧师不仅建立教会，也参与建立新的社会共同体。

So ministers did not only build churches; they also helped build new communities.

七、美国革命时期，牧师公开参与公共事务

7. During the American Revolution, Ministers Took Part in Public Affairs

美国国会图书馆明确记录，宗教在美国革命中发挥了重要作用。

The Library of Congress clearly records that religion played an important role in the American Revolution.

牧师为殖民者的政治行动提供道德和宗教上的论证。

Ministers gave moral and religious arguments for the political actions of the colonists.

他们不仅讲道。

They did not only preach sermons.

他们有人担任军队牧师。

Some served as military chaplains.

有人为通信委员会撰写文章。

Some wrote for committees of correspondence.

有人进入州议会。

Some served in state legislatures.

有人参加制宪会议。

Some took part in constitutional conventions.

有人进入全国国会。

Some served in the national Congress.

甚至有人亲自参加战斗。

Some even took part in battle.

所以，如果把美国早期牧师描述成“只讲属灵的事，不碰公共事务”，并不符合这些历史记录。

So it does not fit the historical record to describe early American ministers as people who only spoke about spiritual matters and never touched public affairs.

八、早期州宪法直接写入基督教内容

8. Early State Constitutions Directly Included Christian Content

1776年的Pennsylvania Constitution中，有非常明确的宗教条款。

The Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776 contained very clear religious language.

议员需要声明自己相信独一的上帝。

Members of the legislature had to declare belief in one God.

他们还需要承认旧约和新约圣经是由上帝默示的。

They also had to acknowledge that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by Divine inspiration.

这不是模糊的“某种宗教感”。

This was not a vague idea of “some kind of religion.”

它直接提到旧约、新约和神圣默示。

It directly referred to the Old Testament, the New Testament, and Divine inspiration.

九、Massachusetts 1780年宪法把敬虔、宗教和公共政府联系在一起

9. The Massachusetts Constitution of 1780 Connected Piety, Religion, and Civil Government

Massachusetts 1780年的《权利宣言》第三条写得更加明显。

Article 3 of the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights of 1780 was even more direct.

它说，人民的幸福，以及政府良好秩序和保存，根本上依赖于“piety, religion and morality”。

It said that the happiness of the people and the good order and preservation of civil government essentially depended on “piety, religion and morality.”

它还提到“public worship of God”。

It also referred to the “public worship of God.”

并且允许支持“public Protestant teachers of piety, religion and morality”。

It also provided for support of “public Protestant teachers of piety, religion and morality.”

这说明，在当时一些州的政治思想中，宗教和公共秩序之间存在非常直接的联系。

This shows that in the political thinking of some states at that time, religion and public order were directly connected.

十、《独立宣言》本身也使用明确的有神论语言

10. The Declaration of Independence Also Uses Clear Theistic Language

《独立宣言》不是一本神学书。

The Declaration of Independence is not a theology book.

但是，它也绝不是一份无神论文件。

But it is also not an atheistic document.

它提到“Creator”——创造主。

It speaks of the “Creator.”

它提到“Supreme Judge of the world”——世界最高审判者。

It speaks of the “Supreme Judge of the world.”

它还提到“divine Providence”——上帝的护理。

It also speaks of “divine Providence.”

这些词说明，建国时代的公共政治语言并没有把对上帝的信仰完全赶出公共领域。

These words show that founding-era public political language did not completely remove belief in God from public life.

十一、从教育到政治，可以看到一条连续的历史线

11. From Education to Politics, We Can See a Continuous Historical Pattern

把这些材料放在一起，可以看到一条非常清楚的历史线索。

When we put these facts together, we can see a very clear historical pattern.

儿童学习识字，其中一个重要目的是为了阅读圣经。

Children learned to read, and one important purpose was to read the Bible.

早期教材包含圣经和基督教信仰内容。

Early textbooks included the Bible and Christian teaching.

Harvard、Princeton等大学把培养牧师作为重要目标。

Colleges such as Harvard and Princeton had the training of ministers as an important goal.

许多大学校长本身就是牧师。

Many college presidents were themselves ministers.

有牧师参与建立殖民地。

Ministers helped establish colonies.

牧师参与革命、议会、制宪会议和国会。

Ministers took part in the Revolution, legislatures, constitutional conventions, and Congress.

早期州宪法直接使用基督教语言。

Early state constitutions directly used Christian language.

《独立宣言》也公开提到创造主、最高审判者和上帝的护理。

The Declaration of Independence also openly referred to the Creator, the Supreme Judge, and Divine Providence.

这些事实说明，基督教并不是美国早期公共生活边缘的一件私事。

These facts show that Christianity was not merely a private matter on the edge of early American public life.

它曾经深深参与教育、社会制度和公共生活。

It was deeply involved in education, social institutions, and public life.

十二、这段历史对今天基督徒的讨论有什么意义？

12. What Does This History Mean for Christian Discussion Today?

在改革宗传统内部，有许多基督徒据此强调：信仰不只是主日礼拜，也会影响人在社会中的责任。

Within the Reformed tradition, many Christians use this history to emphasize that faith is not only about Sunday worship; it also affects a person’s responsibilities in society.

他们会区分“教会作为教会的职分”和“基督徒个人作为公民的责任”。

They distinguish between “the calling of the church as the church” and “the responsibility of individual Christians as citizens.”

在这种理解中，牧师不需要把讲台变成党派宣传的平台。

In this view, a pastor does not need to turn the pulpit into a platform for party propaganda.

但是，基督徒也不必把信仰限制在教堂四面墙之内。

But Christians do not have to limit their faith to the four walls of a church.

关心教育、法律、公共道德、邻舍和社会，是许多基督徒理解公共责任的一部分。

Caring about education, law, public morality, neighbors, and society is part of how many Christians understand public responsibility.

美国早期历史至少清楚说明了一件事：

Early American history at least makes one thing clear:

“基督徒必须远离一切公共事务，牧师只能谈个人属灵生活”并不是对美国殖民时期和建国时期历史的准确描述。

“Christians must stay away from all public affairs, and ministers may only speak about private spiritual life” is not an accurate description of American colonial and founding-era history.

结语

Conclusion

美国早期的教育、大学、牧师和政治之间，有着今天很多人已经不熟悉的历史联系。

Early American education, colleges, ministers, and politics had historical connections that many people today no longer know well.

我们不需要制造历史，也不需要夸大历史。

We do not need to invent history, and we do not need to exaggerate history.

真实的历史材料本身已经足够重要。

The real historical record is important enough by itself.

如果要理解美国早期社会，就不能把基督教、圣经和牧师从这段历史中删除。

If we want to understand early American society, we cannot remove Christianity, the Bible, and ministers from this history.